THE NEWPORT RIEETIXG. I n accordance with the provisions of tlir revised constitution of t h e American Clieniical Socivtg (Art. VII, Section ?), itnil i n pursuance of :Lresolution of t h e Society pstssed a t t h e regular meeting, J u n e G , lS90, tlic Iloarcl of Ilircctors, on J n l p ?8, called :I general mecting of tlie Society a t Kcwport, 1L I., A u ~G. and 7,1890. Owing to the unavoidx1)lc sliortness of tlie notice givcn, i t was feared tliiit no adcqutrte :ittencl:tnce of chemists coulcl be secured, and tlie meeting mas rrg,zrded more 11s a n introduction to a scries of general meetings to be held hereafter than as a test of the favor which might be cxpcctcd for t h e new plan from t h e chemists of t h e country. T h e mccting has bcen a great success, however, a n d it was regarded by those prcsent as fully equal, both in general interest and i n scientific p i n , to any gathering of chemists ever held in America. Over forty chemists attended t h e meetiug, and, together with friends who accompanied them and citizens of Newport wlio took part in t h e entertainment of t h e visitors, made t h e occasion a n attractive one in its social as well as in its professional aspect. Seventeen papers were read and these, with the discussions upon them a n d t h e general business of t h e meeting, fully occupied t h e morning sessions. A list of these papers is given in the programme, page 2 5 2 . T h e time of t h e meeting was so divided as to allow the hours from 10 A. M. to 1 P. M . to be given to tlie reading of papers, business, etc. A t 1 1'. 31. a luncheon, provided each day through t h e kindness of t h e local committee, was served in a room adjoining t h e hall. A t 2 P. AI. t h e visitors were taken upon steam launches, provided by t h e local committee to points of interests about Newport harbor a n d t h e afternoon spent in sailing each day was a pleasant relaxation after t h e work of tho morning. lvednesday evening was
24s
T H E SE\VI’OltT MEETING.
given u p to social intercourse amongst the visitors, and 011 l’hursday evening the reception g?ven by Prof. .J. 1’. Cooke was a fitting conclnsioii to the long series of oourtcsies offered by the local conimittce. Dnring the meeting a collection of chemical apparatus was exhibited in i~ room adjoining thc hd1. It is hoped t h a t a t general meetings in future this feiitnre will be much more fully developed. Invitatioiis were sent to many dealers in c1iemic:tl apparatus, b u t thc notice of the meeting was too short for proper efforts in this (1i r ec t i 011. T h c meeting was opened Wednesday, August tjth, a t 10 A. A[. (See minutes of meeting.) \VEDNESDAP AFTERXOON.
- Jlcmbers and invited guests met a t the Ferry a t 2:30, and were taken on a government launch to the United States Xaval Torpedo Station, situated on a n island in the harbor opposite Newport, wherc they were met by Commander T. F. Jewell, U. S. K.,in chargv of the Torpedo Station, throngh whose courtesy the museum, laboratory and shops of the station were opened to t h e party. T h e historical collection of torpedoes and models was shown, including t o r p d o e s of inodcrn construction, ready for use. At the laboratory I’rof‘. C. E. Munroe explained the action of a number of high c’xplosives arid showed tlrc result< of experiments in crushing and vuptnririg of metnllic plates. Afterwards several submarine torpedoes wcre exploded in the harbor, :tnd a series of tests with high explosives was made. Discs of compressed gull cotton, dynamite, etc., were detoiutetl upon plates of wrought iron ; compressed gun cotton mi~spartlyburned in a n open fire and then exploded by detonation. A naked disc of gun cotton bearing t h e impressed letters A. c‘. S. was detoiiatcd upQn an iron plate, a n d the letters were shown to be clearly impressed upon t h e metal afterwards. A l ‘ necklace’’ of discs of gun cotton was h u n g about the top of a wooden post twelve inches in cross section and the timber was cut off squarely by detonation of the cotton. A t 4 o’clock the party were taken to the United States Xaval Training Station, also located 011 an island in the harbor, where,
THE NEWPORT MEETING.
249
through t h e courtesy of Capt. Stanton, U. S. N., commanding, they witnessed a parade of the battalion of boy5 belonging to t h e station. Afterward they were entertained a t t h e officers’ quarters, and, before leaving, were shown the barracks a n d drill room under the guidance of Surgeon C. A. Siegfried, U. S. N. T h e return to Newport was made a t 6 P. M. THURSDAY, AUG. 7 . MORhING).
T h e meeting was called to order a t 10 o’clock. meeting.)
(See minutes of
AFTERNOON.
2 o’clock.-Through t h e courtesy of the local committee a n excursion in Newport harbor was provided. T h e larger portion of t h e visitors were taken on a government launch under t h e guidance of Major Livermore, and after sailing about the harbor, were landed a t Fort Adams a t 4 P. M. A smaller party took passage on the Herreshoff torpedo boat Stiletto, which was kindly placed a t their service by Commander Jewell, and made a tour of about thirty miles around the island of Conanicut. The great speed of the little boat and the perfection of her machinery called forth much enthusiastic comment. The Stiletto reached F o r t Adams before four o’clock and t h e united party of visitors were taken to the artillery parade ground, where, through the courtesy of Col. J o h n Mendenhall, commanding, they spent a n hour in watching t h e evolutions of a battery of artillery, consisting of four field pieces, with its full comp!ement of men and horses. After a number of rounds had been fired by the battery the guests were permitted to inspect the mechanism of the breech loading guns. Returning to the boats, a stop was made to examine the large guns of the Fort. T h e party returned to Newport a t 6 o’clock. T h e reception given to the chemists attending t h e meeting by Prof. J. P. Cooke, at his home, cor. Gibbs avenue and Beach street, Newport, was very fully attended. Many specimens of meteorites from t h e collection of Prof. Cooke were shown during theevening.
T h e following is :L list of clicmists wlio :ittcnded t h e Ineetiiig, as taken frorii tlie register kept a t tlie oflicc: of lIr. A. 0. D. ‘I’aylor, of tliu 1oc:il comniittcAc : Prof. ,Joliii If. a\pl)letoii. l.Kew 1‘ork. Prof. E. Ti’. Morlcy, \Vthsterri lieserve Uiiiversity, Cleveland, Ohio. P r o f . C’harles 1;. J I ~ i i r o ~l-. ~ ,S. Kava1 Torpedo Station, Newport, lt. I. E. U. A-ewburp, Ooriiell Uuivetxity, Ithaca, Kew York. Lyman (’. Kewell, Pawtucket, 1;. 1. (1. F. l’arker, V. S. A., Sewport, 11. 1. G . \V. I’tttterson, U.S. Torpedo Station, Sewport, 11. I. C‘I~itrIcs31. Perry, Providence, 12. I. llr. C. A. Pitkiii: Thayer Academy, South Braintree. Mass. Lucius I’itkin, 1%. I%.,New T o r k . William I
